Accordion switch key assembly



Nov. 1, 1949 L. R. STAHL ACCORDION swmcn KEY ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1945 Nov. 1, 1949 L. R. STAHL ACCORDION SWITCH KEY ASSEHBLY 3 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1945 a/ wk/a L. R. STAHL ACCORDION SWITCH KEY ASSEMBLY Nov. 1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 6, 1945 INVENTOR. BY 0% Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a piano accordion and has special reference to an improved switch key assembly therefor and deemed an improvement over my former switch key assembly for controlling the volume of the sound thereof; and the accompanying drawings illustrate an accordion of the treble action type to which the improved switch key assembly is applied and differing materially from the individual switch key operating means illustrated in my U. S. Patent No. 2,297,032, issued to me on September 29, 1942.

The principal object of the instant invention is to provide an exceptionally convenient and efficient assembly of such switch keys.

Another object is to provide convenience in operating such switch keys so as to minimize interference with the rendering of music when the accordion is being played.

Another object is to provide a simple arrangement of equi-distance spaced individual switch keys, each operating simultaneously two slides in opposite directions and thereby overcome any undesirable gravitating effect of such slides.

Still other objects and advantages may appear in the further description of the invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the auxiliary arrangement for the improved switch key assembly showing fragmental portions of the stepped head plate, slides thereupon, and several clappers.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sect onal view on the line 2-2. Fig. 1. showing the improved switch key assembly installed therein;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental elevation of the back of the accordion keyboard and auxiliary master switch key attachment;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on the line 4 -4, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental, part elevational and part sectional view taken on the line 5--5, Fig. 1, showing the relative positions of the slide-operating shafts; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmental perspective top view of the keyboard of an accordion equipped with my improved switch key assembly.

For better comprehension of the invention, it is to be understood that the movement of the slides, and for which this invention is particularly designed, does not in any way alter the key of the music rendered but affects only the volume thereof.

My former patent supra is illustrative of the instant stepped and inclined supports for the reed blocks l, 2, and 4 forming two substantially independent sound chambers 5 and 6 directly above the head plates 1 and 3 respectively. Upon these head plates 7 and 8, and controlling the emittance of air from the reed blocks, are the clappers 9, common to all accordions. These clappers are fixed to the stems l8 and operated by the pivotally-mounted keys H and I2 assembled on the keyboard 13 upon the relatively small shaft 1 4 and being so positioned at an angle from the sound chambers 5 and 6 for convenience in manipulation by the musician, said angle being common to such accordions.

Now under the head plates 1 and 8 are eight slides as at l5, four under each plate, which are operated in a manner to open or lose the sound ports, as at IS, in order to control the volume of the sound, as stated previously; and the novel mechanism for operating said slides is as follows:

Within the chamber 6 and spaced above the head plate 8 of the two lines of reed blocks 3 and 4 are two pairs of slide-operating shafts, I1 and I8 as one pair and I9 and 29 as the other pair; while extending within the chamber 5 and in the upper portion of chamber 6 are spaced two more pairs of longer shafts 2! and 22 as one pair and 23 and 24 as the other pair. These latter pairs of slide-operating shafts are vertically aligned in plan view with the two pairs of shafts in the chamber 6, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

As a front bearing for the pair of shafts 2| and 22, I have provided a somewhat S-shaped bracket 25 fixed to the head plate I of the sound chamber 5 by screws as at 26; and as a front bearing for the pair of shafts 23 and 24, I have provided a vertical brace member 2'! intermediate, and fixed to, the head plate I and the shell or cowling 28 about the entire mechanism.

Forming a central bearing for the pair of shafts 2| and 22 is the vertical brace member 29 fixed to the intermediate stepped wall 30 of the head plates 1 and 8, this same bracket or brace member 29 forming the front bearing for the lower pair of shafts El and i8; and the intermediate stepped wall 36 provides the foremost bearing for the pair of shafts l9 and 20, while for the rearmost support of all eight of said slide-operating shafts are provided two angular brackets 31 fixed to the angular portion 32 of the head plate 8, one of such for each group of four shafts.

Thus there are two pairs of slide-operating shafts in each so-called separate sound chamber 5 and 6, and above and at the rear of each pair of these shafts in the chamber 6 are installed four switch keys 33, 34, 35, and It must be here pointed out that there are eight slides which are to be operated, and I have provided but four switch keys; therefore each switch key will function in a manner to operate two slides simultaneously upon movement thereof. Inasmuch as it is deemed perfectly obvious that the operation of one switch key is similar to the operation of the others, as well as would it be unnecessary repetition, I shall describe the functioning of only switch key 33, as follows:

Viewing more closely Figures 1, 2, and 5, it may be seen that the switch key 33 is made integral with the arm or lever members 3? and 33, which are formed into two box-like portions for strength, and pivotally mounted upon the through shaft 39 which bears in an identical manner the switch keys 34, 35, and 36 also. The cowling 23 is formed to allow only the switch keys to protrude, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, hiding from View, of course, the remainder of the mechanism.

The rearward. end of each shaft 2!, 22, 23, and 2d is gracefully bent ninety degrees from its twin as at til, where it continues on into the interior of the switch key, for example, in the switch key 33 as at All; however it is noted that it is not fastened thereto in any manner but is merely received within a hole in the side of the switch key. Thus when the switch key 33 is depressed, it is obvious that the shaft 25 will be rocked. The foremost or opposite end of this shaft 2| tapers downwardly as at 32 (see Fig. 2) after passing through the bearing member 25, and terminates through the head plate l and into the foremost slide 53, as' shown very distinctly in Figures 2 and 5 as at M, thus forming a slide operating lever. Apparent then is the movement of the slide 33 upon depressing the switch key 33.

In order to operate its second slide, I have provided a through vertical finger B5 in the lower shaft H, the lowermost end of which is received into the slide 46 and the uppermost end of which is hingedly secured to a depending arm A l fixed to the shaft 2 l. Now the depressing of the switch key 33, in rocking the shaft 2i, similarly affects the shaft ll which carries with it the finger 55; and therefore the switch key 33 not only operates the single slide 33 in the chamber 5 but also the slide 46 in the chamber 6 simultaneously, but in opposite directions.

With the above description, it is clearly seen that in order to return the slides 13 and 26 to their initial positions, the musician need merely place his finger beneath the switch key 33 and easily force it upwardly.

As a novel means for returning all of the slideoperating shafts simultaneously to their initial positions and thus the opening of the ports in all of the tone controlling slides, I have devised a master key operable from the upper edge of the keyboard of the accordion, said master key being illustrated at 38 and pivotally supported as at 69 and relatively quite long, with depending like inclined fiat fingers 5il-5fi which extend parallel with and slidably close to the back surface of the keyboard It of the accordion as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.

Approximately opposite the line of juncture of the keys H and i2 with the grill or cowling 28 of the accordion, is installed in line with the spaced fingers SlL-fit two quadrant-like thin, fiat levers 5| mounted upon the shaft M upon which the black and white keys H and I2 are also assembled with the forward extremity of each of said levers extending somewhat forwardly of the 4- black keys H and just below the rearward extension 52 of the base of the switch key cowling 28 where it is provided with an arcuately-shaped, somewhat elongated bumber shoe 53 for engagement with the concaved reinforced lower edges 54 of the switch keys 33, 3 3, 35, and 3E.

The opposite end of each lever 5| extends through a suitable hole 55 in the keyboard l3 where each is provided with an elongated slot as shown at 55 and further extends through the relatively short slot 57 in its respective finger 50. Intermediate the fingers 5ll5il is installed upon the keyboard 53 a peculiarly-bent wire spring member 58 fixed as at 59 with each'end then passed about two like pins tfi6ll on said keyboard back and extending at opposite ends in line with said slot 51, each for engagement through said slot with the outermost extremity of each lever 5 i.

This spring, of course, is for the purpose of normally retaining the master key 58 in its upper most withdrawn position to permit any or all of the switch keys to be operated as and when desired, but all of such switch keys in their depressed positions are subject to a single downward action of the master key for returning same to their normal positions.

Having thus described one embodiment of the invention, what I claim is:

1. In an accordion having a sound chamber and a common key board extending therefrom; a plurality of tone control slides in said chamber, a plurality of pairs of vertically spaced parallel shafts transverse and above said slides and within said chamber, and an independently operable switch key for operating each pair of said vertically spaced shafts, each shaft of said pairs being adapted to operate one of said slides in one direction simultaneously with the operation of another of said slides by the other shaft in the 0pposite direction, a master key externally of said keyboard adapted to restore said switch keys to inactive position, one of the shafts of said pairs of shafts being directly operated by said switch keys and the other one being operated by a depending arm and finger arrangement in a direction opposite to the movement of the first mentioned one of said pairs of shafts.

2. In an accordion having a sound chamber with tone control slides therein, means for operating said slides comprising a plurality of switch keys, and a plurality of pairs of vertically spaced shafts, each of said pairs of shafts comprising an upper shaft operable by said keys at one end and having an operating lever at the opposite end thereof for movement of one of said slides, an arm depending from said upper shaft, a lower shaft, and a finger carried by said lower shaft having one end pivotally united with said arm and the opposite end engaging another of said slides for movement thereof in a direction opposite to and simultaneously with the movement of said first mentioned slide.

3. In an accordion having a sound chamber with tone control slides therein, means for operating said slides comprising a plurality of switch keys, a plurality of pairs of vertically spaced shafts, each of said pairs of shafts comprising an upper shaft operable by said keys at one end and having an operating lever for movement of one of said slides, a lower shaft operable by said upper shaft, and a finger carried by said lower shaft having one end thereof as operating means for said lower shaft and the opposite end thereof engaging another of said slides for movement thereof in a direction opposite to and simultaneously with the movement of said first mentioned slide.

4. In an accordion having sound chamber and a common key board extending therefrom a plurality of tone control slides in said chamber, a plurality of pairs of vertically spaced parallel shafts transverse and above said slides and within said chamber, and an independently operable switch key for operating each pair of said vertically spaced shafts, each shaft of said pairs being adapted to operate one of said slides in one direction simultaneously with the operation of another of said slides by the other shaft in the opposite direction, a master key externally of said keyboard adapted to restore said switch keys to inactive position, each of said pairs of shafts comprising an upper shaft operable by said switch keys at one end and having an operating lever at the opposite end thereof for operation of one of said slides, an arm depending from said upper shaft, a lower shaft, and a finger carried by said lower shaft having one end pivotally united with said arm and the opposite end engaging another of said slides for operation thereof in a direction opposite to the operation of said first mentioned slide.

5. In an accordion having a sound chamber with tone control slides therein, means for operating said slides comprising a plurality of switch keys, a plurality of pairs of spaced substantially parallel shafts, one of the shafts of each of said pairs of shafts being directly operable by one of said switch keys and having a connection to one of said slides, the second shaft of said pairs of shafts being operable by the first mentioned one of said pairs of shafts and having a connection to another one of said slides to move the latter in a direction opposite to the movement of a slide by the first mentioned one of said shafts, and a master key to restore all of said switch keys to inactive position.

LEROY A. STAHL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,133,107 Morrison Oct. 11, 1938 2,192,857 Fancotti Mar. 5, 1940 2,308,228 Rabuazzo July 16, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 363,863 Italy Oct. 15. 1938 

